§ MR. WILLIAM RUTHERFORD (Liverpool, West Derby)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to Section 111 (2) of the Merchant Shipping Act, requiring a licence to be held for the prevention of crimping, and that under such section his Department now require that charitable institutions who train boys for the sea must take out a licence before they can apply to a shipowner to take these boys; and whether, in view of the effect of this requirement upon the committees of management of such institutions as the Metropolitan training ship "Exmouth," the training ship "Mount Edgcumbe," the Birkdale Farnworth Nautical School, Father Berry's Liverpool Training Homes, and the "Clio" and the Macclesfield Industrial School, he will, in proposing Amendments to such Act, be prepared to give facilities for their work to such institutions.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. LLOYD-GEORGE,) Carnarvon BoroughsYes, Sir. I am aware of the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act with regard to the supply of seamen and boys to which the hon. Member refers. The requirements of the section are in the interests of the boys in the institutions named, and I do not quite understand what is meant by their effect upon the committees of management. I shall, however, be happy to consider any suggestion that may be made to me by which the work of such institution could be facilitated and the interests and safeguards now provided for the seamen and boys left untouched.